Mistletoe Tales
by honmyo SeaGull
Summary: Two short and pointless ficlets to celebrate New Year with the bishounens. Kougaiji-taichi vs. mistletoe, followed by sanzo-ikkou vs. mistletoe. (Mistletoe always wins...) Very Mild yaoï. Not very serious.
1. Mistletoe? Kiss and Botany

**Hi! In fact, all I wanted to tell you is:**

**I wish you all an happy and wonderful new year! **

**_Joie et Amour_**** for everybody!**

**2005 kisses, minna-san!**

**Reviewer's corner: **first, congrats for the (visible or invisible) ones who read « Gambler » till the end, you rock!

**Tiqa: **Got your mail (very happy).OF COURSE, I'm relieved! I was less worried than the day I sent you the mail since nobody said anything scary about Singapore the few days after, but I'm very glad to hear that from you…Take care.

**Crimson: **Loool! More 58? For that kind of things I'm pretty sure you're more talented than I am, that's why anytime I'm in the mood for fluffy 58 I go and Read **your** stories…(Personally, I can't picture real 58 before the end of Chin-Yiso's arc…that explains your frustration with _Gambler_: sorry about that again…)

**Cesmith: **the naughty site forgot to tell me you let a review, I'm lucky I saw it before loading. Anyway…Thannnnks! I'm always so glad to discover which part you liked in the story and each time it helps me a lot…Arigato for taking the time to let me know!

**Sanada: **(glomps)I WON'T forget the new year's greeting mail…So, « see » you soon…

**Warnings **(applies about both of the ficlets): even the new year won't change it: the characs aren't mine…And now, read the consequence of letting the gull glued to the window of her car during ten hours looking at naked plane trees carrying mistletoe clusters along the road…It has a sad effect on her brain…

**« Mistletoe? »**

**Summary** :Kougaiji-taichi and mistletoe is a bad mix (set during the journey). Mild yaoi.

**oOoOoOo**

« Of course it's mistletoe! » a shrill child's voice was squealing.

« It isn't, » another female voice calmly replied for the nth of countless times…

« Yes, it is! I'm sure of it… » And the stamping of a raging foot could be heard on the centuries-old cobblestones.

« _Ririn-sama_, how would you find mistletoe in Tenjiku? Look at that: the leaves are different and the berries are the wrong colour! » And poor Yaone couldn't know any more whether she thought the kid's stubbornness on the subject funny or totally annoying… For it had been a while they were at it… She was a chemist (sometimes vaguely alchemist, too), had all her papers as an apothecary, as a pharmacist… She knew what mistletoe looked like, didn't she? And all this racket because of some poor and random branch of vegetation which was hanging from the vault above one of the passage of Hôtô's fortress. A wanna-be decoration in order to celebrate the new year…

However, the two protagonists eventually fell silent as they heard steps coming closer. Two low chatting voices reached them. None of them could be wrong, this time: Kougaiji and Dokugakuji were coming their way. A huge smile broke on the little redhead's face:

« I'm gonna ask _Oni-chan_! » she proudly announced. Yaone heaved a deep sigh. She was beaten. Kougaiji-sama wouldn't disappoint his little sister, and even knowing for sure he was wrong about the said weed, he would be able to indulge himself with the small lie if it could please Ririn.

The _youkai_ prince arrived past the last turn, with his favourite shadow close behind. At his sister's sight, a smile had _instantaneously_ appeared on his lips. As for the _gaki_, as most of the times, she had _instantaneously_ thrown herself on him... Almost to the point of pushing his brother backwards with her enthusiactic behaviour. Poor Kougaiji found himself hurled against his bodyguard, standing ground only by sheer miracle. The said bodyguard wasn't that lucky…Still in precarious equilibrium on the last step of the stairway, he couldn't help a noisy fall of a few feet down (as painful for his bottom as for his pride)…

Kougaiji experienced a few hectic seconds, trying to inquire about his right arm's state (this one being currently uttering strings of various insults, curses and other bad words Kougaiji hoped Ririn was to busy to take care and note them for later use), to help him stand up, to hear Yaone apologizing for his sister's behaviour, to listen to the later ask him a crucial botanical question and to attempt to have a look at the poor incriminated branch just above his head in the same time…

An all relative silence was actually reborn only as Dokugakuji stood on his feet again.

« So? » Ririn asked finally, full of hope. Kougaiji had reached out with his hand for the shiny leaves of the vegetal crown, brushing it slightly with his long claws. Oblivious of the argument before his arrival, he was about to tell his sister to ask Yaone who was more competent than him in the matter (even 500 years of boredom had never bent him to open a single one of the botanical manuals scaterred in the castle's library: what for reading about plants he would never see? he had thought, then) as a hand fell on his shoulder. Turning on his heels, he met eyes with a obviously fully recovered Dokugakuji, whose face clearly showed he had some hidden intention (and heralding noooo good).

Before Kougaiji had time to say anything, a strong arm circled firmly his waist to bring and hold him very, very close of his second who (unfairly) took full advantage of his surprise to take his lips. The more the prince leaned backward trying weakly to _extricate _himself from this _affectionate demonstration_, the more Dokugakuji leaned forward to deepen the kiss. Kou felt compelled to bring back his arms around the swordsman's neck in order not to be knocked over ( or at the least, that's what he stubbornly maintained later as his second brought back the matter of this kiss…). His fingers were losing themselves in the short dark hair while Doku' hands were clearing their way under his leather jacket, of almost unbearable coolness on the burning skin… The prince tried for a mere second to remember how (the hell) they had come to that while he was still discussing « sutra-hunting » with his right arm two minutes ago…

Absentmindedly kissing back, now, he played back again the events in his mind until…Ririn's pointless question. Ririn? At the sole thought, he abruptly pushed back his second. A disappointed Dokugakuji let him do as he pleased, but kept the red-haired _youkai's_ waist in a firm grip… The _youkai_ prince refused to think of all the questions the child was about to ask in less than a second… But Ririn never asked any question. She only had a huge smile while raising her gaze to Yaone.

« You see I was right: it's mistletoe! » she claimed triumphantly by pointing to both the embraced _youkai_, just under the poor plant…

And Yaone heaved a desperate sigh, hiding her face in her hands… _The three of them are impossible…_****

**oOo Owari oOo**

(evil grin): now, let's play with the sanzo-ikkou…


	2. Apocalypse SNow

**« Apocalypse SNow. »**

**Summary** : _Sanzo-ikkou_ and mistletoe is even worse. Set before the journey. Mild yaoi. Kinda sequel for « Gambler ».**Gojyo's POV**.

**oOoOoOo**

Nobody really knows about the full advantages of being inveterate smokers. Imagine two people with nothing to tell to each other (otherwise the risks of fight exponentially increases, anyway). Both of them are sitting at the same table, and soon silence would swiftly grow heavier and heavier. But no. Both of them have ciggies. And they're patiently waiting for the two missing parts of their quatuor to come back.

And they are coming back, now. Hands full.

« What's _that_? » the monk asks straight away, and nothing like affable, believe me.

« Christmas' decorations, » Hakkai answers, unruffled. But it's true it's obvious. Even the blissful smile of the _chibi saru_ is enough of a clue.

« Christmas? » Sanzo lets slip dubiously. « You're aware I'm a buddhist, aren't you? » he resumes, his fingertips brushing unconscioulsy against the sutra on his shoulders.

« You know, Sanzo, the more I know you, the less I believe you're really a monk, so… »

I'm currently doing my best to stiffle my burst of laughter with my hand. There's no denying: Hakkai has got nerve.

« Christmas. You gotta be kidding…You got raised by nuns, or what? » the _bouzu_ was still muttering while fighting to light a new cigarette.

« Yes indeed. The orphanage where I grew up was run by christian sisters, » the _youkai_ quietly admitted. « I wasn't really fond of these kinds of celebrations, at that time, but I think Goku could enjoy this, right? »

What can you say to that?

**oOoOoOo**

Goku just told me some really, really interesting thing (which he learned from Hakkai, of couse) about the little bit of greenery I have in my hand. I firmly intend to verify about this, as I enter the kitchen…

« Dinner isn't ready yet, Goku… » The words welcome me before I can say a word. Hakkai hasn't even turned round to look at me.

« Don't call me names, okay? »

He doesn't take the trouble of answering. A brief smile lighten his features. I capture the sight of it in a window darkened by the nightfall. Obviously, he decides that finishing his cooking is more important than asking me why I'm suddenly perched on a chair. He grabs a knife, and with impressive skill begins with the chopping of various vegetables.

They often pop up without warning, these strange ideas which remind me of who is the man I'm sharing a house with. Cho Gonou wasn't a _youkai _before. Even if Cho Hakkai is, now. He hadn't claws, then. For his death's deeds, it was a blade he used. No doubt, it was with the same talent with which he slices these poor innocent greens. Maybe I should be disturbed by such thoughts. However…

I don't give a fuck.

He is rather light. The moment he tries to grab the saltcellar, beside me, I take hold of his waist to sit him _on_ the table just in front of me. My hands lingers on his hips. My face inches close of his own, I'm leaning towards him. He tries to evade me, slightly leaning back, steadying himself with his palms flat on the hard wood of the tabletop. He remains in a state of high uncertainty. His troubled look crosses mine. His everlasting smile falters.

_I'll never hold anybody with these boodstained hands. _Those words had escaped his lips once, on a rainy night as I had tried to come too close to him.

« It's tradition, isn't it? Traditions really matter, _sensei_… » I tell him with my most charming voice.

Here we are. He has understood. He lifts his head to the ceiling. The tiny mistletoe's shoot is still where I just hanged it. He has a short peal of laughter before I make my duty of sealing his lips. For a few minutes, his dark past doesn't matter any more. Even if It doesn't mean much (well, for him), this simple kiss. A kind of parenthesis. He must be thinking of it as a joke of mine.

A moving white spot in a corner of my eyesight. It's Hakuryu who just flought past the doorframe. He stops dead. In the thin air. One second more without moving a wing, and I'm pretty sure he would have simply fallen.

If I wasn't that busy, right now, I would ask myself questions about that murderous flash shining in the ruby reptilian gaze. But he is already fleeing from the room in a hurry.

Really too busy to wonder why this fucking white dragon doesn't fly straight. Hakkai doesn't see. And I'm not going to stop to tell him his dragon is going nuts.

« Smoke… » he whispers a moment later, though, by slightly turning his head away.

« Hakkai? You've never told me you disliked tobacco's smell that much… »

« Not that I mean… It smells of smoke…It's coming from the other room… »

As for me, I'm pretty sure I've heard gunshots, too…

**oOoOoOo**

A joyous Goku who has sought refuge at the top of a cupboard. That supports me in the belief he is really nothing but a _baka saru_, but I had already figured it out since long…He is smiling from ear to ear, though.

An irrate Sanzo. Fuming gun in the hand, he is still aiming at the _gaki_ but looks like he ran out of ammunition. He is currently cursing everybody and Hakkai especially. The guy has told something he souldn't have to the monkey, he yells. I suspect Goku had the same idea as I to celebrate Christmas. And the _bouzu_ didn't appreciate much (or so he says).

And a dragon…Who looks like he felt the sudden urge to reduce the house to ashes… Hakuryu seemingly made up his mind into setting on fire every little mistletoe branch present in the home. I don't want to know about his reasons. The blazes are already licking the wallpaper…

One can legitimately wonder how the sole three of them succeeded in turning my living-room into a living hell, right?

Surprising Hakkai to the point of putting him to silence is certainly not little achievement. And it's the second time for tonight. Fortunately, his voice comes back to him soon enough. He is still loooking at the scene above my shoulder.

« _Kami-sama_. Sanzo, why did you made bullet holes again in our door? It that a new hobby of yours? »

_Our_ door. Hakkai makes progress…

But there's still things to do. We can't let our house go up in smoke, right?

By the way, no apocalypse will ever ruffle me as long as he will be… around.

**oOoOoOo**

Half-asleep on Hakkai's laps, now, Hakuryu still hiccups from time to time. In fact, I've got the feeling I shouldn't have shared my _sake_ with him a moment ago.

Owari 


End file.
